The City of Kimberley is still accepting applications for volunteers for their Outdoor Rink Program. The rinks will be set up at Swan Avenue and/or Garden Park and volunteers are an essential requirement.
The original deadline of November 13 has passed, but Manager of Parks and Facilities, Brett Clark says the deadline is “kind of” arbitrary. The City already extended their deadline to this past Tuesday, Nov. 21 and have extended it even further since then. “Time is running out,” says the City website.
“We’ve had limited interest in volunteers,” said Clark. “We just had three people inquire this past weekend and no one is 100 per cent committed.”
If they don’t follow through with the commitment, or the City doesn’t find more volunteers, the rinks won’t be installed.
The City provides volunteers with the tools necessary to maintain the potential two rinks, such as hoses, ice chippers, shovels etc. and they will even install the boards and nets.
“They will have to flood the ice and create a nice, quality surface,” said Clark. “Volunteers also ensure that the ice and walkways are shovelled and safe.”
In terms of the warmer, rainy weather that we’re seeing, Clark says it’s a double edged sword.
“The weather obviously needs to be cold but with the rain and the existing snow, that will give us a good base,” Clark said. “It’s the warm weather that’s a hinderance, more than the rain. We’ve already started packing the base down with a bob cat at the one we maintain in Townsite.”
For more information or to apply as a volunteer, contact the Operations, Parks and Facilities Department at 250.427.9660.